Summer eStorytime came a lot faster than I anticipated!  (Doesn’t everything in the summer-library-world come faster than anticipated?), so I decided to stick with a theme I had done, and just make it digital.  This was my eStorytime from 6/10/2016.

Opening Slide on Keynote:

SONG:

Come Along and Sing with Me

APP:

Build and Play 3D from Croco Studios ( iOS, Samsung, Android)

To start things off we began by building a toy boat!  I had the kids try to put the different pieces of the boat together.

eBook/APP:

A Shark Knocked on My Door from Mighty Yeti ($2.99 iOS, Android, Kindle)

On a rainy day, a boy and his grandma build a boat to sail down the streams on the street, only to have it fall down the gutter.  Imagine their surprise when a shark knocks on the door to return it!

This story felt a little long for the group I had, so I shorted it by just reading until the Shark says he has to leave for pizza dinner, and didn’t share the undersea adventures portion.  It worked just fine that way.

MOVEMENT:
My Little Sailboat

PRINT BOOK:

Mr. Gumpy’s Outing by John Burningham

APP:

Boats from Sago Mini ( $2.99: iOS, Android, Kindle)

Sago Mini’s Boats is, just like all Sago Mini apps, wonderful.  In this one, you help Harvey the dog choose his boat, and then float along to visit his friends at different islands.  Once we reached the island, I had kids help with whichever activity we found there

APP:
 
Felt Board from Software Smoothie ($2.99; iOS)
I used Felt Board to recreate the rhyme “5 Sailboats” taken from Felt Board Ideas

Five Little Boats
5 little boats went out one day
Over the waves and far away
With the wind they began to rock
And one little boat returned to the dock.

4 little boats….

I started with the five pirate ships (those were the only boats I could find on the app) on the mostly blue background.  (They also have a lovely shoreline one, but that was harder to fit all five ships on.)  Each time a boat returned to the dock, I just deleted it from the board.

eBook/APP:

Boats by Byron Barton from Oceanhouse Media ($1.99; iOS)

A classic transportation book comes to life as an app.  My group for this storytime skewed younger, so this app seemed like a good fit.

MOVEMENT:

These were two takes on the same melody.  It was fun!

APP:

Fiete by Ahoiii ($2.99 iOS, Android)

Fiete is a sailor.  Kids choose different icons on the screen, and then help Fiete with some simple tasks.  I had each child take a turn choosing one of the icons, and then completing the associated activity.  Again, this app is a good one for younger children.

MOVEMENT: “Storytime’s Over”*

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:
 

APP: Finn’s Paper Hat by Tizio BV ($2.99, iOS)
APP: How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long, illustrated by David Shannon from Oceanhouse Media ($3.99, iOS)

THOUGHTS ON THIS eSTORYTIME:
Like all my eStorytimes, this one was small, but it was still bigger than some of the ones I’ve had in the past.  And, since I want the kids to interact with my iPad, it’s probably better that it doesn’t get too big.  I think the kids and parents had a good time, and one of the parents asked about the different apps we used, which i I think is always a good sign.

ATTENDANCE: 6 people (children and adults)

*To see the words to these movements and activities I use frequently, please visit my A-capella Movements Section on my Storytime Movements and Music Page

Please note: App prices were correct at the time of writing this blog, but may have changed since. All prices taken from the iOS app price.  There may also be changes to available platforms for apps as well.

Special thanks to Digital Storytime for their wonderful app reviews by subject, that make putting together a themed eStorytime much easier.